Antarctica - Something to Finally Get Excited About

[ISTCrew20]

http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/seaworld-announces-major-expansion-2012-and-2013-1

This is how you make an attraction announcement! Release some concept art, promise " closer-than-ever animal connections with state-of-the-art interactive ride technologies for adventures that are different each time.", and we have a new project to genuinely be excited about in the Orlando area.

It also seems that Antarctica (and the two other smaller attractions) will open before Fantasyland is complete.

Very excited for this one!

 

[ScoutN]

Let's hope that it is not another incarnation of a Disney ride. By that I mean how BGW received a dark ride that overly has flopped, Europe in the Air that was a knockoff of Soarin', a new heavily themed coaster that primarily is indoors.

I do not spend enough time on the insider line of the Florida parks to see comparisons there as I do here. I can only have high hopes though.

 

[Pete C]

Let's hope that it is not another incarnation of a Disney ride. By that I mean how BGW received a dark ride that overly has flopped, Europe in the Air that was a knockoff of Soarin', a new heavily themed coaster that primarily is indoors.

I do not spend enough time on the insider line of the Florida parks to see comparisons there as I do here. I can only have high hopes though.

This sentence is quite confusing...are you talking about 3 attractions or 1? You mention a dark ride (not DarKastle I assume), Europe in the Air, and an indoor coaster (the new one for 2012?). Please clarify.

 

[Pete C]

http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/seaworld-announces-major-expansion-2012-and-2013-1

This is how you make an attraction announcement! Release some concept art, promise " closer-than-ever animal connections with state-of-the-art interactive ride technologies for adventures that are different each time.", and we have a new project to genuinely be excited about in the Orlando area.

It also seems that Antarctica (and the two other smaller attractions) will open before Fantasyland is complete.

Very excited for this one!

I am very excited as well! Great to see SeaWorld not resting on their laurels. Antarctica sounds awesome. I can't wait to see what they do with that. Will the entire land be indoors, or will they go Harry Potter and just make it look like winter?

The turtle attraction sounds like a nice re-purposing and something that will add capacity to the park. The Discovery Cove addition also sounds wonderful and relaxing...that park is like nothing else.

 

[ScoutN]

This sentence is quite confusing...are you talking about 3 attractions or 1? You mention a dark ride (not DarKastle I assume), Europe in the Air, and an indoor coaster (the new one for 2012?). Please clarify.

Yes, three separate attractions. That is a result of doing too many things at once and not proofreading. Yes, I am referencing DarKastle. That attraction has gone so far downhill compared to opening year it is sad. 2012 is now called Verbolten. A BGW fansite has had the hard drawings and plans posted since May on it. That sadly has changed in the past few days due to legal issues that must be sorted out first.

 

[Pete C]

Yes, three separate attractions. That is a result of doing too many things at once and not proofreading. Yes, I am referencing DarKastle. That attraction has gone so far downhill compared to opening year it is sad. 2012 is now called Verbolten. A BGW fansite has had the hard drawings and plans posted since May on it. That sadly has changed in the past few days due to legal issues that must be sorted out first.

Ok, that's what I thought you meant. But, the only one that is a incarnation of a Disney ride would be the Soarin one. DarKastle is a rip-off of Spiderman. Verbolten is really not like anything at Disney either from what I can tell...more like a rip-off of SAW in England. That sucks about DarKastle. I went on it when it first opened and it had a long line. The ride was a lot of fun. No Spiderman, but a thrilling ride. Did it not get the attendance? I have always thought SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment to make high-quality rides...especially coasters, which they maintain much better than Universal. I went on Kraken this weekend and it was far, far smoother than what has become of the Hulk. If they let their dark rides fall into disrepair, though, that is not a good sign. Universal is upgrading Spiderman so glad to see that.

To be honest, I really think it's Disney has a lot to prove with Avatar. I know the land will look amazing, but I have not been truly impressed with a new Disney ride in a while. I do like Everest a lot, but I was expecting more and the main attraction is broken. IMO everyone is chasing Universal right now.

 

[ISTCrew20]

I don't think it's fair to even judge Verbolten right now. Is their even one piece of track on sight? Seaworld really had stood out with their new offerings as of late and they have really become a park I enjoy visiting time after time.

-Their seasonal events get better and better every year. Their Halloween event went from a modest offering to a full blown event this year. Their Christmas Celebration seems to be offering more seasonal shows than Disney is this year. The events keep getting bigger and better, and still remain free (well, included with admission)

-Manta, while it is a large, unthemed coaster, features one of the best queues in the last few years. The attached aquarium (for those too young to ride) is also a very big plus.

I have noticed differences in offerings and quality between even Busch Gardens Tampa and Seaworld Orlando. Seaworld really seems to be the leader of the pack and seems to get the most lavish and themed attractions (just because of nearby parks). This is the first time that Seaworld has really created a fully fleshed out themed environment. The concept art itself looks just fantastic.

It also seems all these new attractions at Seaworld will STILL open before Fantasyland is 100% complete.

 

[ScoutN]

I don't think it's fair to even judge Verbolten right now. Is their even one piece of track on sight? Seaworld really had stood out with their new offerings as of late and they have really become a park I enjoy visiting time after time.

-Their seasonal events get better and better every year. Their Halloween event went from a modest offering to a full blown event this year. Their Christmas Celebration seems to be offering more seasonal shows than Disney is this year. The events keep getting bigger and better, and still remain free (well, included with admission)

-Manta, while it is a large, unthemed coaster, features one of the best queues in the last few years. The attached aquarium (for those too young to ride) is also a very big plus.

I have noticed differences in offerings and quality between even Busch Gardens Tampa and Seaworld Orlando. Seaworld really seems to be the leader of the pack and seems to get the most lavish and themed attractions (just because of nearby parks). This is the first time that Seaworld has really created a fully fleshed out themed environment. The concept art itself looks just fantastic.

It also seems all these new attractions at Seaworld will STILL open before Fantasyland is 100% complete.

Yes Verbolten has quite a bit of track on site. In fact the indoor track portion of the coaster has already been completely assembled. The indoor effects are now being installed as well as the building itself has the walls being erected. Supports are now up headed down to the Rhine with the track for drop in a back lot of the park.

As far as judging the coaster. A Va based fansite landed their hands on the official construction plans that outline the theming, vehicles, banking degrees, ride height, path, queue plans, etc. The mass level of theming has BGW fanbois cringing it is so detailed. The last majorly detailed attraction they attempted was DarKastle which is so watered down and run down it is sad. That attraction was amazing debut year.

Before you call SeaWorld the leader of the pack I suggest you research a bit more into the massive Water Country USA expansion recently announced and the fairly solid rumors of another nation entering BGW, permanent concert venue, new darkrides, and another train station. Christmas Town also currently blows away any other major park's Christmas celebrations.

On that note every park in SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment has stepped up greatly. Blackstone is surely an investment group with how much capital is being pumped into the parks. From what I gather BGT has another major announcement headed its way in the next year. Good things happening all around. As I originally stated though, I hope Blackstone allows the parks to stick with what has made them so great and not what has made others great.

 

[cheezbat]

I'm getting more interested in these new additions to the Sea World/Busch Gardens parks. Manta was great. Cheetah Hunt was great. Verbolten and Manta west coast look sweet. Good to see a rebranding and massive upgrade to the waterpark in Texas....and the new Antarctica section coming to SWO in a little over a year.

Now if only they'd give us some clues as to what's going in to Water Country USA...and some more additions to Aquatica in Florida as well as Adventure Island. AI has been so neglected. When was the last attraction added? 2005?

Still hoping for a dark ride for BGT in the future too.

 

[ScoutN]

Now if only they'd give us some clues as to what's going in to Water Country USA...

More interested in Water Country than the Busch Williamsburg Resort that will be going up?

Water Country will be good. A certain site is gradually obtaining plans of each alongside more BGW renovations.

 

[Silver Figment]

Somebody in my tourism class did a presentation and it looked decent.

 

[dave&di]

Does anyone know where in the park Antartica is going? Is an attraction going to be closed to make way for this? Will be there Sept next year and bound to have my favourites interferred with!

 

[Pete C]

Does anyone know where in the park Antartica is going? Is an attraction going to be closed to make way for this? Will be there Sept next year and bound to have my favourites interferred with!

Penguin Encounter will be bulldozed and the new Antarctica realm will replace it. It will also take up some available unused area surrounding it. No other attractions will be impacted.

 

[dave&di]

Penguin Encounter will be bulldozed and the new Antarctica realm will replace it. It will also take up some available unused area surrounding it. No other attractions will be impacted.

I love the Penguins! I bet thats closed when I'm there Sept!

 

[Pete C]

I love the Penguins! I bet thats closed when I'm there Sept!

Yeah, you can count on that since the new land will be opening early 2013. At least you will be able to see the new TurtleTrek attraction.

The penguins will be missed in the short run, but I am really glad they are completely re-doing the whole area. The building, displays, and habitat are extremely dated. Hopefully with the new land they will get a larger habitat too.

 

[dave&di]

Yeah, you can count on that since the new land will be opening early 2013. At least you will be able to see the new TurtleTrek attraction.

The penguins will be missed in the short run, but I am really glad they are completely re-doing the whole area. The building, displays, and habitat are extremely dated. Hopefully with the new land they will get a larger habitat too.

Oh yeah I completely agree, although I won't see the Penguins the addition of the Turtles is exciting and will be something new to see in 2012. The rest of the expansion will have to wait till 2014 when I next visit!

 

[Captain Chaos]

OK, rumor is the new Antarctica ride will be a trackless system... Park Rumors, I think, had the plans up but they removed them, take that for what it is worth...

 

[stitch2008]

OK, rumor is the new Antarctica ride will be a trackless system... Park Rumors, I think, had the plans up but they removed them, take that for what it is worth...

It is trackless.

 

[Captain Chaos]

It is trackless.

Thank you sir... Are we now at a point where SeaWorld is out doing Disney in central Florida??? :lol:

 

[cheezbat]

BOTH Sea World and Universal are outdoing Disney. It's great to see from those parks but disappointing from Disney.